New Delhi, March 9: NASSCOM, one of the leading bodies in the IT industry, issued an advisory to its member companies on Monday. This comes in light of the evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East, urging firms to enhance their cybersecurity frameworks and strengthen operations.
NASSCOM noted that while business activities remain stable for now, companies are reviewing contingency plans to mitigate potential disruptions should the situation worsen. They are also reinforcing measures for operational resilience.
According to NASSCOM, many companies have begun activating or reviewing their business continuity plans for operations linked to affected countries. This is to ensure uninterrupted service delivery in the event of regional disruptions.
The organization is prioritizing employee safety, arranging work-from-home options for staff located in impacted areas, and closely monitoring developments on the ground.
Additionally, companies are assessing alternative infrastructure options to strengthen cloud platforms and data centers in the region, ensuring the security of critical systems.
NASSCOM’s advisory recommends limiting non-essential travel through the region, a significant international transit hub, and considering alternative travel routes where necessary.
Companies are also maintaining constant communication with clients, informing them of the measures being taken to ensure service continuity.
The advisory further warns that geopolitical uncertainty often leads to increased coordinated cyber threats, disinformation campaigns, and targeting of infrastructure. This underscores the need for companies to bolster their cybersecurity.
Key recommended cybersecurity measures include organization-wide credential resets, rapid patching of critical vulnerabilities, and implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) at external access points such as VPNs, remote desktop systems, and cloud administration platforms.
NASSCOM also advised companies to conduct supply chain security audits, especially for vendors operating in the Middle East, as breaches in third-party supplier security can lead to widespread disruptions.
Other recommended measures include preparing for potential Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, maintaining offline and immutable backups for critical systems, and running employee awareness programs to combat social engineering and disinformation campaigns related to the current tensions.
NASSCOM stated that it is continuously monitoring developments in the region and is in contact with the Middle East Council to assess the situation and provide assistance as needed.
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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